


The Lovely One

by yaoiandcoffeeaddict



Category: Okane ga Nai, Sex Pistols | Love Pistols
Genre: Ayase is a Bunny, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-05
Updated: 2015-06-08
Packaged: 2018-01-22 02:51:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1573400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yaoiandcoffeeaddict/pseuds/yaoiandcoffeeaddict
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in the world of Love Pistols, Ayase is an abused bunny boy looking for an escape from himself and his family. When he helps a snake who plays a loan shark, he may find it even harder. Mpreg.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Plots and Pay Offs

 

 

Pairing: Ayase X Kanou  
Warning: Mpreg, sexual situations

A/N: “Ayase” is actually the character’s last name but in the manga, he is referred to Ayase by even his boyfriend so I am doing the same. The yen amount is a quote I got from my translated copy of Volume 2 of Sex Pistols. I tried to get it as close as possible to the exchange rate. Enjoy!

PLOTS AND PAY OFFS

Creak. Creak.

Creak. Creak.

It was early fall and the noise of the small swing going back and forth was the only thing that echoed in the park as the last sliver of light kissed the sky and illuminated the empty playground. Young children had long since been led from the joys of the jungle gym, monkey bars and slide by parents and grandparents and were now probably tucked safely into their warm beds for the night.

The last remain figure, Ayase Yukiya sighed anxiously as he continued to swing his legs back and forth as he waited for his cousin Ishii Tetsuo. Small and pale with exotic coloring, Ayase resembled a young middle-school girl rather than the sophomore high school boy he was despite his clearly male school uniform which wrinkled and gathered sand with each pump of his legs. As each bit of light faded, he was growing more and more worried. A police officer had already stopped by to see if he was lost and needed an escort home until he showed the officer his ID and told him he was waiting for his cousin. Now, he was debating whether or not he had made the right choice.

Over two hours ago, on their way home from school, Tetsuo unexpectedly took Ayase to the park and told him to wait for him on the swings while Tetsuo took homework to a sick friend of his who lived nearby. Ayase had agreed, thinking it would only take a couple of minutes.

When the sky reached the tone of dark blue that threatened to collapse into the dark blue shade of night, Ayase stopped the swing and began to debate whether he should go to his aunt’s home alone or continue to wait. If he was to go home without Tetsuo, he knew Tetsuo’s absence would worry his aunt and uncle greatly and Tetsuo would be mad at him for snitching. But if he continued to stay on the swing, he would probably catch a cold from the chilly night air and some strange people might try to approach him.

Ayase bit his lip nervously just as he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. He turned around to see three large males behind him. “Hey, cutie. What’s a sweet thing like you doing here at this hour of the night all alone?” one man in his early twenties with hair gelled and dyed a bright red asked him as he leaned down towards him. He was wearing dark jeans and a plain black t-shirt. On his feet he wore a pair of beaten black sneakers that looked like they had seen better days.

“Uh…” Ayase stuttered worriedly as he tried to think of a way he could avoid any bad situation. “My cousin is visiting a sick classmate nearby and told me to wait for him right here. He should be back at any minute.”

“Want a little company?” another man asked. His hair was in a buzz-cut fashion and he took a seat on the other swing beside him. His outfit was much like his friend’s except for the faded English words on the front of his T-shirt that appeared to be a logo of some kind. “Your cousin should know better than to leave you alone in the cold.”

His stomach was sinking and his blood was running cold in his terror. “Uh…. Thank you for your kindness but I think I will be fine. I’ll just be on my way…” He rose from the seat only to find his way was blocked by the three men. Did they wanted to rob him? He knew he wouldn’t be able to physically fend them off. His family blamed his diluted genes for his weakness.

“How about we escort you home, Sweetie?” suggested the red-head. “I got a kid sister your age and I wouldn’t want her out here alone at this hour.”

Ayase tapped his index finger against his lips as he debated how he could refuse without insulting them until the silent one footsteps signaled he had taken several steps towards Ayase and his breath was no tickling Ayase’s neck. Ayase recoiled from the damp feeling of the man’s breath and knew he needed to get out fast. “Thank you but I think I should find my cousin now.”

Just as Ayase made a move to leave but something sharp suddenly pricked him in the back. Ayase did not have to turn his head to know it was a knife. “We insist,” the red head said with a predatory grin.

Ayase was then seized by buzz-cut’s strong hand on his arm. Instincts kicking in, he began to struggle and scream for help just as his mouth was covered by a giant hand. His eyes widened and a strange feeling suddenly erupted inside of him. Suddenly, the men touching him were no longer men but apes dressed as men. Demons. He was captured by demons.

 

\---

Each step pulled him closer and closer to the ground as he moved slowly through the empty street. Every now and again sweat and… stickiness… dripped down his battered body, heavy legs and he had to fight the nausea that threatened to stop him in his tracks. But he couldn’t stop. If he stopped, he wouldn’t move again.

He needed to get home. He needed to get them off him. Their paws were still on his body and their breath was still on his face. Their eyes… he could still feel their eyes on him.

Acid was burning his throat and he forced it back down and held himself more firmly, sinking his nails into the bruised flesh exposed by the torn strips of his shirt to distract himself. Still, the acid kept rising and soon, he was forced to stop and vomit on the sidewalk.

At least it erased the taste of them from his mouth.

Ayase stepped over the mess and kept walking, thinking of the warm water that awaited him at his aunt’s house. Then there it was- the brightly lit home beckoning him to the door. His feet gained back their spirit and sped him up the familiar winding walk and through the door.

The sound of the television in the other room was so familiar, Ayase almost cried in relief. “I’m home,” he whispered to the empty entryway as he removed his shoes and socks.

As he took a step towards the bathroom, he was startled when the door to the side room was thrown back and his aunt was standing there. Ayase fell back against the wall in fear as he observed the usually emotionless and cold woman before him. Today, however, her beautiful face was lined with anger and the pupils of her eyes were slit like a reptile’s.

A demon! Those animals must have killed him and now he was in a hell dimension. What had he done to deserve hell?

Ayase shut his eyes and curled into a ball, shaking with fear and began crying.

“Shut up, you worthless rabbit!” the demon in his Aunt Rikako’s form shouted as it advanced on him and grabbed his tender and bruised left wrist. Ayase soon found himself pulled to standing position.

“Wife, isss the boy home?” his uncle asked entering the room in his casual house clothing . His eyes were slit as well and as Ayase watched, a forked tongue came out to taste the air. Surprise replaced the usual apathetic expression. “Oh… he’sss been cavorting with the monkeysss.”

“A middle-seed rabbit whore just like his mother!” his aunt hissed, squeezing his wrist with enough force to almost brake it. “My brother’s wonderful blood… tainted by rabbit filth! If only the boy was a snake or stayed dormant.”

“Please… what did I do?” Ayase whimpered.

“You’ve brought ssshame on the houssse of the cobra,” his demon uncle hissed in disgust. “Letting yourssself be usssed by thossse disssgusting apesss.”

Tears bathed scraped cheeks. “I didn’t want it. Please… have mercy.”

“He’s ruined all our plans! What are we going to do now?” his demon aunt asked. “No one wants a rabbit as a mate, especially not one who cannot defend themselves from even the monkeys. It would make for weak offspring.”

“We can sssell him to the monkeysss,” the demon version of his uncle said. “They do not expect a boy to yield offssspring.”

His demon aunt sighed and released his wrist, letting Ayase tumble to the ground. “If anyone found out, our family would be ostracized and our son would never find a good partner.”

The demonic version of his uncle sighed, “You are right dear.” An idea suddenly seemed to come to him and a smirk replaced his distaste. “He may be ussseful yet. There are sssome familiesss that do not want a permanent mate for their child but are far more willing to pay for an available womb. The Grizzly Houssse, for example, have been asssking about a cheap, available mate for a ssseassson for their ssson.”

“Mate? Womb?” Ayase repeated with fear and confusion. Surely even demons would not treat him as breeding stock?

Auntie sighed, “That was two years ago. The Grizzly House of Japan actually did not have to pay the American Grizzly House in the end when the two decided to become permanent mates.”

“Ssstill, the boy can be usssed as a rent-a-womb. If we do thisss for even two ssseasonsss, we will get more money than the average bride priccce.”

Ayase was very close to regurgitating his last meal all over the floor. He’d hated those men touching him. He was still feeling the foul evidence between his legs.

An elegantly manicured hand suddenly seized his chin and Ayase found himself forced to stare into the frightening slits. “He is slightly attractive, I suppose. Still, dominants may be afraid of their offspring carrying the boy’s weakness. If the disgusting rabbit traits were able to overcome the superior genes of the cobra… we may be left with two unwanted burdens.”

Tears welled in Ayase’s eyes. He couldn’t stand the thought of anyone’s hands romantically on him… even a woman. “Please… please don’t make me do such a disgusting thing! I will do anything else! I will quit school and work… please don’t let them touch me…”

“Really? Can you earn ¥40,192,700 in a year at your job?” Uncle asked with a hissing laugh.

Ayase lowered his eyes in defeat. “No.”

“Then it is decided,” Aunt Rikako announced.

\---- <3

The gentle beams of the first sunlight of a morning found their familiar subject at his desk, reviewing papers. Since his father had passed away a few years ago, Kanou Somuku had taken over the company and had devoted himself to the art of the loan shark. Thus, every day, he sat at the old oak desk and indiscriminately assessed his borrower’s lives and what actions to take.

The sun was disappearing behind the building clouds of a storm by the time Kanou’s attention was drawn away from his stack of paper work by the click-clacking of heels in the hallway outside his office. Kanou growled in annoyance as his childhood acquaintance Someya Kaoruko entered his office, bouncing around more like a puppy rather than the cat he truly was. “What do you want, Okama?” Kanou hissed in disgust. Kanou would be the first to admit that his male friend’s choice to change their gender after years of living as a boy was uncomfortable for him. It didn’t help that he tried to act like a different species too.

“Someya-kun is here to pay back her debt,” Someya replied as he slid an envelope out from one of the red, overly-feminine decorated sleeves of the kimono he was wearing.

Kanou snatched the envelope and quickly opened it to check. Everything was accounted for. He placed the money in a lockbox in one of the desk drawers and returned to his paperwork. “You may go now,” Kanou said without looking up as he made a little note that Taka Ryo’s payments were late by a week. He’d send someone to reclaim the money soon.

“Now, that’s just rude, Kanou-san,” Someya commented before sinking down into the nicely padded chair across from him. “I’ve also come to deliver some news.” The ruby red lipstick made the crossdresser look like a clown the instant he grinned.

“Not interested,” Kanou commented as he tried to wave the transvestite away. Since he had come out of the closet or whatever he called it, Someya had this habit of trying to set Kanou up.

“Come now,” Someya pressed leaning forward with all the grace of his panther ancestors. “You are almost thirty and…”

“I’m twenty-four,” Kanou corrected in an even, monotone voice. He left out that Someya was only two years younger.

“Still…,” Someya continued, “You’re not getting any younger and you have yet to even have a girlfriend for a week… So, I was thinking, maybe you would like to attend a breeding party.”

Kanou almost choked on his own tongue. Breeding parties varied depending on who was giving them. Often, they were used by desperate madararui as a medium to either meet their soul’s mate, find someone to pass a mating season with, or to sell their madararui children to powerful families. Some were tasteful get-togethers over tea, but more often now they were a gaudy mating dance complete with techno music. Then there were those parties hosted by monkeys and were usually a bondage orgy… Either way, neither was of particular interest to Kanou.

Someya sighed and slinked back into the chair. “You are the last of the Kume Coral Snakes Madararui. If you were to die suddenly there would be no more.”

Kanou shrugged, not really into the whole preserve the species talk at the moment. Hatchlings for his species barely made it past one year anyway before they could assume their human form and adapt better to an environment outside of wet, damp shores. They needed constant care; other snake species found that bothersome and mammals often were too afraid the young were poisonous to even bother to check on them. There was no guarantee he could preserve the species.

“Fine,” Someya spat, his eyes in slits. “I guess I’ll go to the party by myself and be taken advantage of.”

Kanou simply continued to pour over the accounts and ignored the guilt his ‘friend’ attempted to inflict upon him. Someya had been at least twenty breeding parties without him on his journey to find his mate; Kanou had seen the pictures. He would be fine. When after a few minutes, Someya didn’t leave Kanou asked, “Why are you still here?”

“Please come with me?” Someya pleaded, this time with a choked voice that had Kanou sighing. It wasn’t very often that the cat cried, but the twenty-two year old was obviously at wits end in seeking his mate. Kanou would have to go along for support.

“Fine,” Kanou agreed. “When?”

Someya immediately perked up. “Tomorrow night at seven at the Aishiteru Hotel.”

Really? The I-Love-You Hotel? That was the first give away that this would probably be tacky, but Kanou would go along with it any way.

\-----<3

Ayase shifted nervously in his tight and thin deep red knee-length cheongsam in the backseat, picking at the golden lotus embroidery. His aunt and uncle had heard there was going to be a wealthy madararui family from china and had brought him something similar to a Chinese wedding dress ‘to inspire them to take interest.’ His cousin had laughed that, of course, there would be no wedding but there would be a wedding night. It made Ayase shudder at the thought of that kind of invasion again. Ayase had also been forced to insert a strange cylinder with a weird pill into himself the night before. By morning, he felt strange and awkward.

His aunt slapped his hand away from the passenger seat of the car. “Stop picking at your outfit!” she hissed, her hair suddenly in the shape of the king cobra hood and Ayase instantly stopped his picking and gazed at the grey carpet and didn’t look up.

“Yukiya,” his uncle suddenly said, forcing the rabbit to raise his head and meet his eyes in the mirror. “You will hold yourssself ssstraight and accept anything I sssay. If we are lucky, we will have an interesssted buyer tonight.”

“Yes, Uncle,” Ayase replied softly as the car made a right turn into the parking lot of the three story Aishiteru Hotel. Ayase waited for the car to stop before exiting the car and following his aunt and uncle inside the hotel, his eyes on the ground but his back straight. He gave a slight shudder as the strangely chilly fall air blew through his cheongsam.

As soon as they entered the lobby after presenting the invitation to the doorman, Ayase stole a weary glance up. The room was painted a soft, soothing green color with white and brown furniture that were currently all occupied by various people. A few days ago, Ayase would have assumed he’d walked into an anime convention as everyone had their soul out on display complete with wild colors and twitching ears and tails. Ayase caught a glimpse of himself in a polished bronze mirror and saw he too had blonde ears out that were hanging down in dread especially when he realized he was the only one of his kind there.

His Uncle caught his wrist and dragged him to the reception desk where a smiling dog man greeted them with a handful of paperwork. “Hello, welcome to the Aishiteru Hotel. We have a variety of events going on at the moment so bare with me in placing you. Name of the participant?”

“Ayase Yukiya,” his aunt said as she reached over to retrieve the papers.

“Age, gender, and species?”

“16, male, and rabbit,” she announced as she signed an agreement form of some kind.

The dog boy chuckled as predatory brown eyes met sky blue. “Ah, a lucky one then, and such beautiful coloring. Is he dominant or submissive?”

Ayase’s aunt snorted, “I would think with his fertile scent it would be obvious.”

The dog boy laughed, not phased in the least by his aunt’s attitude and handed them a large plastic blue snap bracelet. “I’m sure you will have no trouble matching him to a potential partner.”

“We are not here for life-mates,” his uncle waved off, as he gently placed the bracelet on the tiny boy, “We’re interested in renting out his womb to an interested party.”

“Oh,” replied the dog a little sadly. He gave Ayase a sympathetic look. “In that case, you will want to go to the event in the second floor lounge; it’s up the elevator and to the right at the end of the hallway. Enjoy your stay.”

Ayase gave him a small smile as thanks for his concern and followed his family to the elevators. Upon entering the room, the first thing Ayase noticed was the cushions along two opposite red walls where various species were being examined. On one side were powerful looking men and women wearing red bracelets and on the other were smaller people with blue bracelets like Ayase’s. In the center of the room was a small buffet table and a few tables where there seemed to be some conversations taking place. Lastly, in a corner of the room, were two of the hotel staff with keys on a board behind them.

Ayase’s aunt led him reluctantly over to the people wearing blue bracelets and forced him to sit between a catatonic catboy with dark Japanese features who was currently breastfeeding a dark-colored puppy and a panting mongoose girl with brown hair and eyes while his uncle took a seat at a nearby table. Almost immediately after his aunt walked away, a hawk with his feathers out on display began to circle the catboy and Ayase. The hawk crouched down and began to play with the catboy’s free nipple, trilling in delight when milk flowed freely from it. A large black dog-man immediately came up and stated a price, which the hawk accepted. After a few minutes, the silent boy was led away and another, older cat with western features and interesting red hair slinked down and claimed the seat.

“Hey, are you new?” asked the catman, tilting his red head.

“Um… yes.”

The cat smiled and pet Ayase on the shoulder. “Hey, don’t worry too much, okay little bunny? I’ve been a rent for ten years and I can tell you it’s the good life. In fact, the new guy who just left is lucky to have found a partner with the hawk Ayumu, he’ll probably keep the boy and the puppy for himself. And even if you don’t get kept, you’re treated like royalty ‘til you pop out your kid.” The catman suddenly leaned forward and took a deep sniff of Ayase. “Wow, you’re really fertile. Any kids before now?”

“Um… no…”

“Wow… you smell exceptionally fertile for a first-timer.”

“Um… okay…”

“So how old are you?”

“Sixteen.”

“Wow… really? You fail your levels or something?”

“No… I was actually an okay student but…. my family says that…but… but I don’t even like men…” Ayase’s voice trailed off.

The cat was able to fill in the blanks and he laid a comforting hand on Ayase’s shoulder. “I’m sorry bunny, but I promise everything is going to be okay. Your temporary mate will treat someone like you like glass. You might even like the mating and they can even ask for your hand. I’ve had a total of five offers over the years but I like this job.”

Ayase nodded, very uncomfortable with the conversation. He noticed his aunt and uncle were in an intense conversation with a large blonde bear that had been watching him earlier. “Umm… where’s the bathroom?”

“Oh,” the cat said. “It’s out the room and a few feet down the hall. Do you need an escort?”

Ayase shook his head. “I’ll be fine.”

“Okay, then. Hurry back and I’ll teach ya how to display if I’m still here.”

“Okay,” Ayase agreed and then rose from the pillow to run at breakneck speed to the bathroom while his family wasn’t looking. He couldn’t do this. He loved his family, but he just couldn’t be a ‘rent.’ He had to run. Hoping to hide himself for a little in a room, he opened the first unlocked door and found a giant man with black and tan scales trailing down his neck and hands on top of the bed in a suit, seemingly asleep. Ayase froze, fearing the man would wake up and either hurt him or drag him back to the party until he realized the man’s breathing was shallow and his skin was unnaturally pale.

“Mister?” he called to the figure. When he failed to get any type of response, Ayase crept cautiously forward and placed a shaky, small hand on his forehead. The man felt cold and clammy, he needed help. That wasn’t good… Ayase couldn’t get the man help without giving away his position, but he didn’t have the heart to abandon him either. When his cousin felt like this his aunt would bury him under a mountain of blankets with a heating pad. Taking off the man’s shoes and somehow managing to get off his jacket, Ayase began doing the same and even used towels when he failed to find more blankets. The man began to breathe easier but he was still pale and cold.

Ayase stood at the side of the bed, listening to the man’s breathing as he debated what to do. He needed something like a heating pad… oh… Ayase blushed. It was not uncommon for people to use other’s body heat for warmth but… could he do it? Then, he heard someone angrily calling his name. His uncle…

Ayase figured this would be as good a hiding spot as any and crawled under the blankets to curl up next to the man, making sure his form was not visible to anyone who might come in. He laid there in the darkness, ignoring the calls of his name and listened as the man’s breath grew steadier and steadier.

 

To be continued…


	2. The Lovely Burden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set in the world of Love Pistols, Ayase is an abused bunny boy looking for an escape from himself and his family. When he helps a snake who plays a loan shark, he may find it even harder. Mpreg.

Title: Lovely One  
Fandom: Sex pistols, Okane ga Nai  
Pairing: Ayase X Kanou  
Warning: Mpreg, sexual situations, foul language

THE LOVELY BURDEN

There was a strange taste on the air, a scent his tongue had not tasted before. It was sweet and heady like a fine red wine. Kanou found his tongue flicking out three more times before he dared to open his eyes only to meet a cheap graying white plastered ceiling. How had he gotten here… oh that’s right… he’d followed that Okama to this foolish gathering. Unfortunately, he hadn’t checked how cold the weather was. He recalled lasting about two minutes in the lobby before requesting a room to recuperate in... After that, his memory was all blacked out. 

But… that did not explain the strange warmth all over him. His brown eyes traveled down to see a mound of fabric including gaudy red towels piled on him. Odd... the cat hadn’t even arrived when he had requested the room, so who...? 

Suddenly, there was a soft sound from beneath the covers and Kanou froze as whatever it was shifted their weight over him before a contented sigh escaped. Kanou waited the space of two minutes before slowly peeling the covers back.

The first thing he noticed was short, pale blond hair the color of butter on top of his leg. His tongue flicked out to capture the stronger sweet smell coming off his bedmate. Careful not to disturb the blond, he raised his torso off the bed slowly and pulled the covers back more. It appeared to be a young foreign, rabbit girl clothed in a rumbled cheongsam with a slight tilt and soft lid to her sleeping eyes and a slight honey color to creamy skin to suggest some Asian blood. What was she doing in his bed?

Then the smell clicked in his mind. Fertile. The rabbit’s sweet scent was declaring she was very, very fertile. Reptile madararui were known to snatch mates when in their instinct- ridden state. Had he in his delirious state snatched up a warm and fertile mate from the convention? If so, hopefully he had worked out an agreement with the girl’s family before doing so.

Noting with relief he was still dressed, he reluctantly slowly extracted himself from her hold and pulled the covers back over her before locating his jacket and shoes placed carefully on a nearby chair. Just as he started to place his first shoe on, he heard the bed rustle and saw the blond head pop out from the fabric burrow and he froze as two big, blue eyes focused on him.

“Uh… are you feeling better?” came the soft, musical question and it was all Kanou could do to stop himself from pouncing on her as his lower anatomy came to full attention. For the first time since he was a young boy, heat suddenly rushed to Kanou’s face as he berated himself for his perverted behavior as he lowered his head. This rabbit could not be out of junior high yet and here he was thinking of taking her like a cheap whore. His mental scolding was interrupted by a small hand being placed on his forehead. “You feel a lot better but now you’re a little warm, Mr. Snake. Perhaps you should lie back down.” 

Wide, exotic blue eyes so full of concern… for him? It was such a strange situation he seemed to have found himself in. A glance to the components in the pile of cloth on the bed told him he was not responsible for the structure. He never would have added those towels, so it had to have been the girl in front of him. A tiny rabbit caring and tending to a snake madararui willingly; surely this had to be a dream? Tiny hands attempted to pull him back to the bed before he gently shook them off. “I am fine,” he said to the blond gently. 

“Oh,” the blond blinked, a shy look overtaking the small face as blue eyes lowered to the floor. “I am glad; that is good. I will be going then.” 

“Wait!” Kanou shouted, grabbing one tiny hand attempting to slip through his grasp. The rabbit immediately whipped around, startled and trembling and Kanou let go of the limb he was clutching in shock to the girl’s 180 degree reaction. “I… I did not thank you for your help.”

“You’re… you’re welcome, Mr. Snake.” The rabbit… no… the angel smiled softly before turning and walking to the door. Wait… his angel of mercy and kindness was leaving him and did not even know her name… He had to think of something. His mouth opened and shut wordlessly as those delicate hands slowly turned the knob on the door. 

“W…” he began just as the door opened and a female cobra filled the doorway, her hair a hooded mass as sharp nails snatched the girl by the front of her dress. 

“So this is where you’ve been, you little whore!” she hissed as the girl let out a yelp of pain. The cobra then proceeded to throw the girl back into the room before entering and shutting the door behind her with a bang before stalking after the shaking rabbit. Kanou was momentarily stunned by what he was witnessing but when the cobra raised her hand to slap the rabbit, Kanou was instantly across the room and holding her arm in a death grip with his eyes slit and a warning hiss passing his lips.

“This is not your concern,” the cobra hissed. 

“I am making it my concern,” Kanou replied dangerously as he monitored the shaking angel from the corner of his eye.

The cobra yanked their arm from his grip and turned to face him fully, eyes narrowed in appreciation as they traveled up and down his body with a calculating glance as they took in the stripes on his neck. “A Kume Coral Snake, and a wealthy one. In that case, how much are you offering?”

“I would never touch you,” Kanou said in disgust.

“Not me; Yukiya,” the female cobra said as she gestured to the still quivering rabbit, “may be a rabbit but the blood of the cobra runs through in his veins. My husband and I have brought Yukiya to this meeting as a breeding partner for hire. We had planned to loan him to Garatov for the season but the worthless little rabbit disappeared and he turns up with in a hotel room with a heavy seed, possibly with poisonous little coral snakes in his belly right now.”

He? Kanou must have heard that wrong. He glanced down at the rabbit. The features were far too delicate to be anything other than female.

“We didn’t do anything, Aunt Rikako!” the rabbit cried, shaking their head as they grabbed onto the cobra’s clothes only to be kicked away.

“First the monkeys and now breeding with anyone you please Yukiya!” the cobra shouted. “You have no thought for your family! I took you in hoping you would outgrow your ugly rabbit mother’s looks and transform into a cobra, but you are a disappointment. You were already too weak for the more established families but now this season is ruined! Your breeding partner is going to pay your loving family for the care you were given.”

The rabbit rose to his feet, shaking his head. “He did nothing… I found him passed out from the cold and I took care of him. He was unconscious. Don’t blame Mr. Snake for my actions… I… I will go with Mr. Garatov…” 

“It’s too late, Yukiya. Garatov chose another partner after your disappearance and I doubt anyone that had been present will want a partner that disappeared. We wash our hands of your pathetic existence, boy. You have no family, you ungrateful slut. Do not bother to return home even if the Coral Snake pays for you. You bring shame to the House of the Cobra.” 

Boy… he had heard right. Kanou looked back down at the downcast rabbit and took in the boy’s full image. He should have noticed the sex from the smooth chest, bump of groin and the narrow hips but, despite it, the Okama boy was beautiful inside and out. Even now, somehow the rabbit had been defending Kanou’s honor and not his own… He’d never consider such a thing in the past (in fact the idea would usual turn his stomach) but he could clearly see himself in bed with this boy, even touching the boy’s sex. He could see the boy in an apron at his door with a welcome-home kiss every day when he returned from work. He could see the rabbit rounding and then caring for small hatchlings like he had for Kanou, nursing from his chest…

Before he even realized what he was doing, Kanou had taken his check book out of his jacket pocket and was scribbling down the number 1.8 million yen. It was nowhere near the price such a treasure but it was all that was worth the so-called care the cobra had given the boy. Thrusting the paper at the woman, he grabbed the startled rabbit and gently lifted the boy into his arms, eyes focused on the right side of the boy’s body where it had begun taking on the beginnings of large bruises from the cobra’s man handling.

“Only 1.8 million!” the woman shouted as she shook the check back and forth. “How dare you…!”

“It is all scum like you deserve,” Kanou cut off as he gently shifted the boy’s weight to open the door. “From now on, the boy is in my care. I will send an associate for his things in the morning.”

The rabbit was quiet, clearly shocked as they made their way to the elevator and then out to the lobby desk where Kanou set the rabbit gently on his feet beside him to hand in the room key. An irritating dog was at the front desk winking at the two as he eyed the wrinkled clothing. “I trust you enjoyed your stay?” 

Kanou simply made an affirmative noise as he handed over the key with a credit card. As Kanou waited for the receipt, he reached into his pocket to retrieve his phone to call for his car. As soon as he hung up, the boy tugged on his elbow. 

“I…” Yukiya began as he stared at his bare feet. Kanou wanted to smack himself for not thinking to double check the boy had everything. “Thank you, Mr. Snake. I am grateful for your help… I will find a job and work real hard to pay you back…”

Kanou was simply startled… he hadn’t even cared about the money he’d spent on a BOY of all things. “My name is Kanou Somuku,” he found himself saying like an idiot but it was worth it for a dazzling smile from the rabbit.

“I’m Ayase Yukiya,” the blond smiled cutely, “I…”

“Kanou-san!” came an annoying high pitched voice before a red blur barreled into him and warped around him from behind. 

“Get off me OKAMA!” Kanou growled as he tried to knock the long fingered hands away from his middle.

Someya unlatched himself from Kanou’s waist without a blink before thrusting a pink sakura phone under Kanou’s nose with a serious expression. “I’ve been calling and calling you. What right do you have to make me worry, Somuku?” For good measure, the Okama thumped him on the head.

In retaliation, Kanou knocked him on the head even harder. “Don’t touch me or call me by such a familiar name!” 

Before there was to be a repeat of a wrestling match from their childhood with Kanou the winner as always, a soft noise attracted their attention. “Um…” his angel began, clearly uncomfortable with the entire situation as their eyes turned to him. “Mr. Snake… I mean Kanou-san… he… he didn’t mean to make you worry, I think. He was very cold and had to lie down.” His angel was… defending him again?

Someya stopped rubbing at the bump on his head and gravitated to the boy, lifting up his chin and inspecting the startled face. “Oh… so cute… especially for a boy.” Kanou’s eye twitched in annoyance. How had that Okama known the boy’s gender and not him?

With a glance over his shoulder at Kanou, he asked, “So why are you hanging out with this scary man, sweetie?” When Ayase lowered his head, a suspicious gleam entered Someya’s gaze as the cat leaned in and opened his mouth to inhale the scent. The cat immediately stiffened and turned to Kanou. Before Kanou could even answer, Someya pulled the rabbit to his padded breast. “Don’t you worry, little one, big sister’s going to take good care of you.”

Ayase said something that was muffled by red fabric. 

“What was that?” Someya said as he released his grip just as the clerk returned with Kanou’s card and receipt.

“I said Kanou-san wouldn’t do anything like that.” Ayase stated, as he brushed at a fabric irritated cheek, “He’s a good person. He saved me.”

“Oh?” Someya asked flatly as he turned to eye him. “Did he?” 

“Yes and it is getting rather late. I need to get Ayase settled into the apartment.”

“He’s going to live with you?” The voice was dark and suspicious.

“He is,” Kanou confirmed just as his new employees, the Kuba twins, arrived with the car. 

The rabbit rocked back and forth on his feet in embarrassment. “I…uh… you don’t have to… I do not want to be a burden…”

Sensing the problem, Kanou ignored the okama’s eyes glaring death at him as he leaned down and ruffled the angel’s soft, blond hair as Kuba Homare made his way towards them.

“Boss?” the elder twin asked in confusion.

Ignoring his employee, Kanou smiled a slight, reassuring smile at the rabbit. “You’re not a burden, Yukiya. Now, go follow Homare to the car. I’ll be along in a moment.”

Kanou noted despite the strange situation, Homare simply bowed and obeyed.

Once Ayase was beyond the glass entrance doors, Kanou turned to Someya and gestured to the full lobby. “Perhaps we should have this conversation elsewhere?”

The cat nodded and followed the snake to a small alcove to the side of the lobby. Once there, the cat immediately asked, “Just what is going on here, Kanou-san? I know that boy is not for you; you’re as straight as a plank of wood and you never help anyone out of the kindness of your heart.” If it wasn’t true, Kanou might have been offended, “If you are planning to use that child to broker a deal of some kind; forget it. A child should not be forced to have a child. If it is money you want, I can always use a cute little Lolita to work the desert counter at my café and the little rabbit can stay with me.”

The cat was merely stating fact and Kanou would normally simply confirm his less than legal scheme to the Okama but Kanou had never wanted to help someone before for nothing in return. Then again, Kanou had never been helped before without anyone expecting something (his father for example). In his mind’s eye, he could not stop thinking of that open, concerned face with those wide blue eyes as the rabbit asked him how he was doing. “In any other circumstance, you would be right, hag,” Kanou said as he dodged a swipe of Someya’s lethal nails expertly, “But not in this case… Now if you will excuse me, my car is waiting.” Without waiting for another word from the Okama, he left.

\-----<3

Once settled in the back of the nice looking black car, Ayase found himself squirming in anxiety as he stared out the window waiting for Kanou-san to join them. Every now and then he would glance at the two identical men (he thought might be related to the snake due to their similar looks) seated in the front who were watching him in the rearview mirror. This whole situation was so surreal. Only a week ago, he’d been a normal, average human student with strict relatives and then he’d been attacked. Next, he’d been told he was a rabbit and was to be sold to the highest bidder, that he would have some stranger’s child. Now… here he was in a strange car with strange men waiting for a snake man with a kind heart who was taking him in. 

Ayase picked uneasily at the gold in his cheongsam, biting his lip as one of the men turned his head. Ayase’s eyes went wide as he stared at the huge round eyes and feathers, his instincts yelling at him to get away from the predators. Then the owl tilted his head before reaching back and capturing Ayase’s fidgeting hand in his. “There is no need for that,” he simply said before turning back to his brother who met him in some kind of silent conversation just as Kanou-san entered the car.

Kanou had barely put his seat belt on before he said, “Take me home,” and the car was in motion.

The drive seemed terribly long for the rabbit even though they only had a twenty minute journey before the pulled to the front of a very nice apartment complex where Kanou-san insisted on carrying him up the stairs as he was not wearing shoes. Once one of the identical men opened the door, Ayase was gently placed on a large, overstuffed tan sofa as Kanou disappeared down the hallway. 

The snake man reappeared with a large white t-shirt that would easily go past Ayase’s knees and a set of soft, fluffy towels. “I thought you might like to wash the stink of that hotel off. Sorry but this shirt is all I have for you to wear until the twins retrieve your things.”

Ayase blushed and took the offered items with a shy smile. “No… thank you very much for your kindness.” 

“The bathroom is right through that green door.”

Ayase smiled and made to move to the indicated door when his stomach growled very loudly and his face became inflamed.

Kanou simply chuckled. “I’ll order send the twins for food while you clean up.” 

Half an hour later, Ayase bowed in gratitude to the owl twins as they set some containers on the counter. “We were not sure if you ate meat so we got two vegetarian options for you,” one said as they noticed him glancing inside the containers. Such a nice, thoughtful family… 

Just as Kanou handed him a plate, Ayase noted the two leaving. “Oh… are your brothers not hungry?”

“Huh?” Kanou asked, clearly taken back before he noted the two that had left. Then the large snake-man laughed. “Those two are not my brothers. They are my employees, Yukiya.”

“Oh… you look a little alike.”

“If you had seen them when I hired them you would think otherwise,” Kanou said as he waved the comment away. 

Belly full and after brushing his teeth with Kanou’s toothbrush, Ayase settled himself on the couch with a pillow under his head as Kanou did something in his home office. He’d been nodding off when he’d been picked up suddenly.

“Where…” Ayase began sleepily before he was gently placed down on a large, soft bed with crisp cool white sheets before a comforter was tucked over him. His face heated and he froze as he realized the snake was undressing. “Wha…”

The snake stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed with him. “The couch may be large but it is not designed for sleep. I will not have you aggravating your injuries.” Ayase was pulled against the snake’s chest. “You will share my bed until I finish your room. Besides, it is cold tonight and I would very much like your body heat to warm me.”

With a blush, Ayase turned over and tried to go to sleep.

To Be Continued…


	3. First Day Jitters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SEE FIRST CHAPTER

FIRST DAY JITTERS

Homare sighed as he set about organizing the stack of loan applications in front of him. The office had been closed for only five days but the amount of documents accumulated in that time would take a month to sort and properly research before handing to his boss. He set the small loans, those that were only for 100,000 yen to 200,000 yen, in one pile to be researched by his brother as they were the easiest and usually took only thirty minutes of background checking. Others, such as the one from an up-and-coming clothing designer named Mizoguchi, were for 2 million yen or more and would require a day to investigate the potential customer, their assets and their business before approval. 

Homare rubbed his temples, already knowing he would be missing a few hours of sleep for at least a week to sort this mess out. A soft humming interrupted the silence of the office that had previously only been broken by the soft tapping of his or his twin’s fingers on their keyboards. Speaking of messes…

The elder twin’s gaze drifted to the little rabbit, Ayase Yukiya, who was the cause of their delay as the blonde made four cups of tea while humming a little, unknown tune completely oblivious to the smell it was releasing.

The twins had only been working for Kanou for almost a year but never had their boss closed the doors of their business, even on holidays. Yet the day after the rabbit arrived, the Kuba twins were told to cancel Kanou’s meetings for a week. But that week was in no way a vacation for Homare and Misao… instead, they found themselves running errands. From retrieving what little possessions the rabbit had from the blonde’s family to buying necessities. Soon the small boy had a new wardrobe, hairbrush, toothbrush, school bag, notebooks, pencils, pens, bed (that still had yet to be assembled), sheets with little bunnies on them (Misao’s idea of a joke that Kanou did not appreciate), an alarm clock, a bookshelf, a dresser, socks, shoes, and everything else that Kanou would text them to find. 

The only thing left for the twins to find was a good high school for the rabbit to attend that was close to Kanou’s building and/or highly secure. Of course the boss’s first choice was the very expensive Ouran Academy… but the entrance exams would not be held for another six months (and based on the test scores obtained from Ayase-san’s past school was likely not an option). So, Homare had examined other avenues. Thankfully, both an all-male school and a co-ed school were close by and were willing to accept transfers beginning their next semester. Homare had been ordered to research the madararui attending both schools for two days, compiling a list of names and madararui type, before his boss made a decision to send the bunny to the all-male school that had the lowest population of their kind and was walking distance from Kanou’s apartment building. 

Unfortunately, based on the curriculum the rabbit was unable to attend for another two weeks.

Thus, Homare was currently playing the role of babysitter to a little rabbit whose prey and fertile scent were driving him up a wall when there was so much work to be done. With another sigh, Homare cast a glance at Misao and found him still glued to his computer, completely apathetic to the tantalizing aroma and lacking any demonstration of annoyance with the blonde’s presence. 

Homare attempted to focus on the loan applications once more, reading details and sorting through the large stack. Homare was applying a sticky-note to one high risk loan when a warm cup was placed in his range of view from a tiny, pale hand. With surprise, Homare lifted his eyes to meet the blue of the boy he had just been raging internally about. 

“I thought you needed some caffeine,” the rabbit said softly with a small smile.

Cautiously, Homare took a sip with his eyes still locked on the boy’s. To his astonishment, it was simply tea and wonderfully prepared with a hint of sweetener to counter the black tea’s natural bite. Just as the boy lowered his eyes in shyness, Homare found himself uttering a small ‘thank you.’

The eyes lifted again and became brighter before the rabbit went to fetch a mug and deliver it to his brother, who looked equally perplexed by its sudden appearance before shrugging and returning to work. Lastly, the rabbit picked up a mug and walked to Kanou’s office, gently knocking and receiving a bark of “Come in!”

Curiously, Homare leaned over to watch the timid thing open the door and walk to Kanou, who was in an intense phone call with a client who was two days late on paying his bill. The Kume Coral Snake’s manner went from intimidation to gentle in a split second as he took the cup and patted the rabbit on the head. There was a warmth in his boss’s face as the snake took a sip of his mug that utterly bewildered Homare.

The owl had never before seen anyone, even the panther madararui, Someya-sama, who practically raised his boss be given such an affectionate look or treated so delicately. Quite frankly, the dichotomy between the Kanou Somuku then and the one who had been present for only a week was terrifying. 

Just what was it about the weak madararui that inspired such a change? Could the rabbit be somehow related to his boss? The owl had noted that the bunny’s relatives had been cobras, so perhaps a relative of Kanou’s mother… no, even blood relatives held not much sentiment for the boss. The only one who would receive the slightest glimmer of affection was the bear cub Yamato, who the boss treated as a bratty little brother. 

Oh… perhaps that was the plan.

Although the blonde was clearly at least ten years older than the bear cub it was possible that Kanou had bought the rabbit to groom for Yamato’s future wife. That seemed the most plausible explanation for kind treatment his boss showed the rabbit… at least until Homare saw the lustful gleam in the snake’s eyes as the rabbit bent over to pick something up. 

Homare straightened and shook his head slightly as he returned to his work. He pitied the little rabbit. As the mate of the bear Yakuza heir or the mate of a snake loan shark, the boy’s future was not an ideal one. 

OoooooooO

Ayase watched from the car as a group of boys ran into the school’s entrance, trying to push down the panic attack that was building inside of him at their appearance. Monkeys. Nearly everyone that had passed them were monkeys- swollen sausage fingers clutching school bags, hairy bodies that made the small rabbit sick to his stomach, and varying types of pointed faces and extended jaws. They would have been comical to the old him before the incident but now he was simply using every bit of willpower to keep his limbs from shaking.

‘It’s fine.’ Ayase told himself as he gazed out the window as he carefully observed four monkeys in a circle laughing and talking. ‘They are wearing different uniforms from the creatures that attacked you. These boys will not hurt you.’ Ayase took a deep breath and shifted away from the comfortable leather of the backseat while double checking his messenger bag for all his supplies. He could feel the owl’s curious gaze upon him in the rearview mirror and tried to pull himself together. He glances back towards the school and sees the uniformed monkeys have begun filing in. 

Taking a deep breath, Ayase unclips the seatbelt and places a hand on the door handle and slides out of the car. By now, almost all of the other boys have vacated the area and only a few remain standing around off to the side, the small tell-tale wisps of smoke revealing the reason for their delay. Ayase gives one last glance back inside the car before he shuts the door and walks quickly inside the school. Once actually inside, he makes his way to where the signs point for his classroom on the second floor. Most of the students have taken their seats, others are straightening the classroom up for when the teacher finally arrives or writing things on a small board off to the side. In the back there are several seats available so Ayase quietly tries to slip in the backdoor and slide into one. He breathes a sigh of relief when his plan works when no one even turns to look in his direction. 

Hands still slightly shaking, he begins to take out a notebook and a pencil. A blush settles on his face when he realizes one of the Kuba twins had chosen pencils that matched his new bed. Little cartoon bunnies trailed all over the pencil performing various tasks such as reading a book, carrying a basket, painting… Ayase dug into the bag to examine the other pencils available and was dismayed to find all of the pencils had little bunnies on them in different styles. He chose the least obvious one with the rabbit chasing the clock and placed the rest back in the bag. 

How had he not noticed them before? As cute as he found them, boys his age did not use such things and it was not the best way to start off in a new school with such babyish items. 

The sound of the door sliding closed startled Ayase from his thoughts and he looked up as the teacher entered the room. Instead of a monkey like the rest of his classmates, the teacher was a large bear with short black hair and a surprisingly calm face as he took in his students. “Good morning class!” the man called out as everyone standing quickly sat down in a fury of squeaking desk chairs. As he walked to his desk, a soft, strange smell began to fill the classroom. It was somewhat familiar but Ayase could not place the smell.

“Good morning Sensei,” the class dutifully replied with small or large smiles just as the door opened again and a fox boy came running in with an armful of papers, a carefree smile upon his face despite his labored breathing and slightly disarrayed brown hair. 

“Here are the worksheets you asked for, Kumakashi-sensei,” the fox said as he passed over the stack. 

The teacher gave a slight disapproving glance, likely because of the fox’s tardiness before accepting the papers. “Thank you, Tokigawa; please, go find your seat.” The fox gave an apologetic smile before walking down the aisle to Ayase’s left and sliding into the desk two rows up before catching sight of the new face at the back of the classroom as he set his bag down.

The fox locked eyes with the blond rabbit, surprise and curiosity showing on the brunette’s face as Ayase tried to make himself as small as possible. The two were too busy staring at each other to notice that Ayase failed to notice the bear had made his way to Ayase’s right before the teacher had placed a hand upon the boy’s shoulder. 

The rabbit jumped in surprise, an action that the teacher neither acknowledged nor reacted to. “Class, we have a new student joining us for the remainder of the year: Ayase Yukiya. Ayase, please tell us a little about yourself.” 

Ayase bit his lip as every eye in the room turned to him and a soft murmuring of whispers began. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it was going to erupt from chest as he released his lip and attempted to speak, “I… I… I live with… Uh… I like…Uh…” He just couldn’t think of what to say. 

The bear’s eyes seemed to soften and the large paw gently began to massage the boy’s shoulder. “How about you tell us why you have chosen to switch schools?”

Ayase looked down, struggling to find the words. What was he to say? My Aunt and Uncle thought I was worthless? I helped a man who then saved me from becoming… a girl? Like a girl? Everyone no longer looks the same... Then there’s Kanou who… “I was adopted,” Ayase said aloud. “My new family lives here.” That’s what Kanou was right? He was far kinder than Ayase’s family. And the twins… they were nice to him as well… when they wanted to be… kind of like brothers…

Ayase found a soft smile appearing on his face at the thought. Family. Yes, that’s what they were. Family. 

Ayase glanced up to see the teacher was smiling gently, the kind of smile people usually gave to children when they did something adorable. He gave the rabbit one last pat on the shoulder then turned back to the class, “Welcome, Ayase. Now, let’s begin today’s biology lesson. Who remembers the differences between mitosis and meiosis?”

One of the boys in the front row raised his hand and the majority of the eyes returned to the front of the room as the lesson began. The beginning of the day passed by quickly and the second teacher to come into the classroom had barely acknowledged the presence of a new face in the class. Although Ayase felt the occasional pair of eyes on him, he was left alone for the most part until lunch. 

Unlike his new classmates, Ayase remained seated for lunch. He opened the simple black lunchbox and pulled out a rice-ball, happily nibbling at its contents as he looked over his history textbook. He was reading about the Mongol invasion of Japan and the establishment of Shoguns when a shadow crossed the page. 

Ayase looked up to see the fox boy that had been staring at him earlier was standing in front of him. “Uh… hello,” Ayase stuttered just as the boy reached down and flipped the page backwards in the textbook. Confused, Ayase was startled when the boy merely pointed to the section regarding the decision to move Japan’s capital from Nara to Kyoto in 794 CE. 

Ayase glanced up and saw the fox boy was smiling down at him. “We’re not that far yet. We’re still discussing the consequences of the move from Nara and the nobles’ rise in power.”

“Oh…” Ayase replied, lowing his eyes back to the page as the fox pulled a nearby chair up to the blonde’s desk. 

“Sorry I should probably have introduced myself first; I’m Tokigawa Takaaki,” the fox stated as he sat down. “So you like history?” the fox inquired as he gestured to the textbook.

Ayase found himself smiling unexpectedly as he confirmed, “Yes. It’s my favorite subject.”

“Why? Some of this book is inaccurate…”

“It is?” Ayase asked tilting his head. “But why would they be teaching it if it wasn’t true?”

“Most of it is, but they’re leaving out some key points prior to the introduction of Buddhism by the Chinese,” the brunette whispered as he pointed towards the beginning of the book. “I’m sure your parents told you of the war between reptile and mammal in 100 CE.” At Ayase’s blank look, the fox back tracked, “I mean your adoptive parents unless… are they monkeys?”

Ayase blinked, unsure how to answer before stuttering out his answer, “Um… no…” He wasn’t sure how to answer that. Technically he didn’t have any adoptive parents. Kanou was… Ayase wasn’t sure wasn’t sure what to describe him as other than someone who made him feel safe.

“Oh…” Tokigawa trailed off at the boy’s expression. “So where are you from?”

“Here,” Ayase mumbled. It was a question Ayase was used to getting since he was little due to his blond hair and blue eyes. “My father was Japanese and my mother was from Europe.”

“Really? I didn’t know there were any rabbit madararui families outside of Okunoshima and I was always told they don’t like to travel away from their island.” The fox’s smile seemed sincere as he leaned in. “I think I have heard the family name Ayase before though… Was your father’s family important on the island?”

Ayase tilted his head in confusion before the name finally registered. Okunoshima was an island to the south near Hiroshima known for its rabbit population. He supposed in the logic of the strange new world he had found himself in there would be rabbits like him living there. “My father wasn’t a rabbit… he was actually a snake.”

The fox’s eyes widened. “How…”

Whatever Tokigawa was about to ask was halted by a bell chime and the return of the other students from their lunch only a few minutes before the teacher entered and the fox was forced to return to his normal seat. Ayase didn’t know whether to be relieved by the forced parting or disappointed. He had never been very good at making friends, especially after he was sent to live with his cousin. He just was silent and shy by nature… 

But maybe he should try to be more outgoing…

The rest of the day passed in a somewhat boring blur until finally it was the end of the day and Kumakashi-sensei returned once more to dismiss them. Desks and chairs were straightened, erasers clapped, and windows cleaned. Normally it was only students doing these chores but the bear was helping here and there before watering the little flowering plant in the corner. 

Ayase wasn’t tall enough for the hall window duty so he was placed at the open window clapping the eraser.

Just as the boys finished and prepared to leave for the day, the bear stopped them. “Now, before I let you go, the school’s autumn festival will be held in three weeks and I need to know what our class wants to contribute,” Kumakashi-sensei stated. “The theme is going to be stories from around the world. Any suggestions?”

“Tale of Genji?” Someone offered only to be hushed with a ‘no way!’

“Aladdin?” There were several agreements with that one. Kumakashi-sensei wrote it on the board.

“Any other idea?”

“The Emperor’s New Clothes!” That was followed by ‘you just want to parade around naked.’

“Hey, how about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table?” Tokigawa offered from his spot near the front door. There was a massive ‘cool’ and ‘awesome.’

Kumakashi-sensei erased ‘Aladdin’ and wrote ‘King Arthur.’ “I think we have our winner. Everyone research the different well known characters and we will discuss roles tomorrow. Class dismissed.”

There was a cheer as the students filed out the doors and Ayase moved with the crowd to the front of the school. Once outside, Ayase stopped on the stairs and looked for the Kuba twins and the car. He saw the car parked at the end of the street and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw one the owls emerge from the car and hold open the door. Ayase slid into the car and smiled when he saw Kanou was there with his eyes glued to the paper work in his lap.

“How was school?” the snake asked as the rabbit buckled his seat.

“It was…” Ayase searched for the right word, “It was good.”

“Do you have a lot of homework?”

“Yes,” Ayase said as he pulled out his math textbook. Math was definitely his weakest subject. Ayase was trying to figure out the first problem when he felt the large hand ruffle his hair. He sighed happily as he leaned into the snake’s cool touch before being pressed into the snake’s side. He was home.

To be continued…


End file.
